HRWiki:STUFF/Archive/Happy Fireworks

[edit] Cheat 9 From Outer Space

From: Happy Fireworks
Posted on: 21:52, 7 Jul 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

• The lowercase "g" looks similar to a nine (9). Plan "g" is seemingly random, while Plan 9 is a well known, but obscure enough movie to use as a reference.

Arguments against:

• This is a coincidence. No, that's not right. This is a stretch, plain and simple; there's no connection whatsoever.
• It may not be that random, though it seems that way. Maybe Strong Mad's battery-fireworks were plan "f", after plans "a" through "e" failed.
• G is probably the first letter TBC thought of for it, or something along the lines of that.
• It's just a random thing, just like Homsar's healthy piece of real estate.

Additional comments:

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[edit] Ragile?

From: Happy Fireworks
Posted on: 06:37, 7 Jul 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

• TBS shows A Chistmas story every year at Christmas for 24 hours.
• The Wikipedia article said that it is a widely popular movie.
• The word Ragile was in the same basic place.
• The F was missing, just like with cardboard Marzy.

Arguments against:

• This reference is unlikely, and probably just a coincidence.
• This fact is based on incorrect information. As he reads the box containing his Major Award, The Old Man pronounces the "F" in fragile quite clearly.

Additional comments:

• I am sorry. I made this fact, and I forget to say that the F in the Ragile wasn't there. Sorry.

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[edit] WB Cans?

From: Happy Fireworks
Posted on: 18:04, 4 Jul 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

• In fact, WB-46 is the WB station in Naples, Florida. Their website is http://www.wb6tv.com/ (they appear on cable on channel 6, but people with antennas will find them on channel 46).
• The "46" may not have been meant as a reference to that particular WB carrier, but the "WB" was probably chosen as a deliberate reference.
• It's not that obscure to say WB rather than WD. The channel is always referred to as WB___, for example Philadelphia is WB-17.
• Not that this proves the point, but I'm in Atlanta and when I saw WB-46, I thought surely they were referring to both the "WB" and I thought the Atlanta WB was 46, but I guess it's only 36. I still think it's a reference.

Arguments against:

• If they were gonna spoof it, they would use the same numbers.
• That just seems to be stretching it WAY too much. It's too obscure, even for TBC.
• They are referencing WD-40: the can design, logo, and colors are spot-on matches.

Additional comments:

• This comment is found in the Wikipedia entry for WD-40: At one time there was for sale in Mexico a similar product called "WB-50" whose name apparently had no meaning other than to mark it as an alternative to WD-40.

Proposed revision:

Arguments for:

• Many people like "strange but true" facts.

Arguments against:

• This isn't any better.
• Why would The Brothers Chaps be referencing a television station from a different area?

Additional comments:

• This comment is found in the Wikipedia entry for WD-40: At one time there was for sale in Mexico a similar product called "WB-50" whose name apparently had no meaning other than to mark it as an alternative to WD-40.

Proposed revision:

Arguments for:

• It is a compromise of both the original fact and the first suggested revision.

Arguments against:

• Still a coincidence. "WB-46" is merely the closest thing to "WD-40" without actually being it (in both look and pronunciation).
• Since the part about WD-40 was on the page in the first place and was never removed, this is just a transparent ploy to push the original fact.

Additional comments:

• This comment is found in the Wikipedia entry for WD-40: At one time there was for sale in Mexico a similar product called "WB-50" whose name apparently had no meaning other than to mark it as an alternative to WD-40.

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[edit] Another Instance

From: Happy Fireworks
Posted on: 21:10, 4 Jul 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

• Running gags are always mentioned in the Fun Facts, in order to provide something with which to link to the Running Gag page. This INCLUDES every other instance of The Cheat's Head Exploding!
• The Cheat's head exploding is relatively uncommon, despite the implications in the second Argument Against below.
• The Cheat's exploding head has already been listed in the running jokes page of the HRWiki. It would make sense to add this to the Happy Fireworks page with a link to the running jokes section.

Arguments against:

• Noting the instance of an event when it is not the first one does not make a good fun fact.
• We don't note instances of common, repetitive things. For example, we don't consider it a running gag every time Strong Bad says "email" in his theme song; nor do we put "this is another instance of Strong Bad saying email in his starting song" in just about every email's fun facts.

Additional comments:

• Perhaps adding a Running Gags subsection to Fun Facts would please everyone?
  • A discussion on this subject is currently at HRWiki_talk:Standards.

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[edit] No Loading?

From: Happy Fireworks
Posted on: 19:16, 4 Jul 2005 (UTC)

Arguments for:

• We've seen No Loafing so many times that this is a reference.
• "No Loafing" comes to mind instantly. Only later might one realise that Coach Z and Bubs are also loafing.
• TBC couldn't have thrown in "loafing" without an implicit reference to "no loafing". It's hard to imagine them using "loafing" instead of "loading" had they not first come up with the "no loafing sign". Finally, in this sketch, who's loafing and who's not loafing? Coach Z, Bubs and Homestar are all loafing whereas SB, SM and the Cheat are all "not loafing" aka working like they're supposed to be doing as Strong Bad's "employees". Also, combine this with the fact that this skit came out after two biz cas fri's (corporate america allusions -> inspiring posters -> "no loafing" poster) and voila, it's GOT to be a reference.

Arguments against:

• Independence Day is a good day for relaxing, also known as loafing.
• There is absolutely nothing connecting this to the No Loafing sign.
• Couch Z and Bubs are loafing on lawn chairs while the screen loads and throughout the toon; it's a pun, as in just being lazy at the time.
• The D key is also right next to the F key. This could be a "typo" gag just as easilly as a no loafing reference. However, I'm going with the assumption that it is just a holiday theme.

Additional comments:

• It's the return of doyng. Regardless of whether or not you WANT this to be a reference, look instead at whether or not it actually IS.
• Next fun fact under consideration: Bubs saying, "Marzipan's still out of town for the summer, eh Homestar?" is a reference to Eh! Steve.
• A good way to determine if something like this is a reference: is it out of place and unexplainable without the context of the referencee? Out of place, maybe. Unexplainable without knowing about the sign? Nope. So it's not a reference.
  • That's too strict a requirement. Sometimes, the reference is to something that makes sense on its own. If it always needs to be inexplicable to be a reference, then how did the original referred to ever get in?
    • It's too strict a requirement for repeated objects. But for things like a pun or usage of a common word...
• The third ArgFor is reading WAY too far into this.

Proposed revision:

Arguments for:

Arguments against:

• Still pretty much the same fact as above. Rewording it slightly and then explaining the joke does not make the reference ring true.
• This points out other possibilities, showing that this is true speculation, which does not belong in Fun Facts.
  • Its also pointless as it just draws out a blatently obvious fact and a shot-in-the-dark reference.

Additional comments:

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